Leather drier



A. O. HURXTHAL LEATHER DRIE R 8 Sheets-Shetl Filed Jan. 30, 1942 ffya.

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APll .18, 1944- A. o. HURXTHAL. 2,347,109

LEATHER DRIER vFiled Jan. 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 18,1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEATHER DRIER .Application January so',19.42,*seria1 No. 428,943

(c1. sli-s) 3 Claims.

vThis invention relatesto an apparatus'for drying hides or otheratunitsof leather, etc., with the units mounted on frames hung from overheadtrolleys or supported lfrom below on suitable trucks; wherein the framesare of either a foraminous or an imperforate nature; and wherein theunits are toggled, tacked, pasted or otherwise secured to the rames'in asmooth, hat condition.

The object ofthe vpresent invention is to provide a drier of the tunneltype for drying the units on the frames above noted; wherein the tunnelis divided into a plurality oi narrow, parallel channels alternatingwith a plurality of air chambers respectively coextensive with thechannels; and wherein side walls, common to both the channels and thechambers lying adjacent to each other, are each provided with amultiplicity of perforations extending over substantially the entirearea thereof, to aiord a like number of relatively spaced jets of airarranged to impinge against the materials on the frames When the framesare passed into or through the respective channels.

lThe advantages of the arrangement above described reside inthe airjets, by impinging upon such a large number ofrelatively spaced areas ofeach unit simultaneously, collectively eiiecting rapid uniform drying ofeach unit as a Whole, in a minimum amount or time; whereby the length ofthe tunnels,` and consequently the .amount of floor space required for adrier of any given hourly capacity, will be reduced to a minimum; .andwhereby the application of the units to the frames, the drying of theunits `on theirames, the strippingoi dried units from the frames, andthe preparation of the frames and the wet .units for application to theframes, may becarried on `as a continuous process, for which purposelthe iranie-v carrying rails of the separate channels are all connectedto a system of trackage including at least one section located outsidethe drier on which the frames are run, after the units thereon have beendried, to be stripped and serviced to receive other units preparatory toreentering the drier.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the drier;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the line 2-2, Fig.l; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 3 3, Fig.1.

As shown in Figs. l and 3, the drier casing I is divided, by alongitudinal vertical partition 2 into a tunnel section 3 and acirculating section 4, with the bottom edge 5 of the partition 2 spacedCil lll

above the floor a, vto '.provide :a passageway 'l between `rthe .drying:and `circulating chambers .at the lower :part oftthedrier.

The partition `2, in vthe Lipper ipart of theidryer, is provided with aplurality of circular passages 8, 8, in each of whichis rotatablymounted ia high-speedairimpeller, in the form of la disc fan 9. y

Each ian ,9 is driven byan individualmotor H.-locatedoutside.thedryer.casing i, in the .present instance, althoughanysuitable means maybe providedfor the purpose.

The tunnel section .3 is divided .into .a .topl air distributing,chamber I.Ia ,dr-ying chamber l2, and Aanair return chamber, I3.

The drying chamber i2 .is composed .of Vaplui rality of parallellongitudinal channels It, Iii, which alternate, transverselyof thedrier, with air chambers i5, I5, having.relativelywide flaring mouths I5attheir `upperends rcommunicating with the superposed air distributingchamber 'i l.

The side walls I'I, II `of the 'air chambers I5,4 I`5 convergedownwardly andare joined at their lower lends by horizontal walls it,i3. These side walls I 'I, I'I are vcornmonto both the air cham-bersI5'and the drying channels Lifi, iid-and are perforated oversubstantially their entire areas, as indicated-at I9, t9, to provide amulti-- plicity of nozzle-'like openings'throughwhich relatively spacedjetsof air 'are projected in opposite directions into each channel Ill,from. top 'to bottom and from end toend thereof. v

The flaring mouths I6 of the air chambers i5 are formed by angularlyarranged top walls 2li, 2%, under the peak of each is hung a rail 2I ofinverted T cross section, for reception of wheels 22, 22 vof thetrolleys l23, 23 supporting the frames 25, 25 yon which the skinsyhides,or other leather units are mounted.

ln the air circulating chamber 4 of the drier are the usual airconditioning elements 24, such as pipe coils, honeycomb radiators, etc.,through which the air, returning from the bottom of the drying chamberI2, through the return chamber I3 and circulating chamber 4, passes tothe distributing chamber II, under impetus of the impellers 9.

In the distributing chamber I I is a plurality of spaced longitudinallyextending segmental air distributing veins 26, 26, by Which the airtraveling horizontally across the top distributing chamber II is dividedand directed downwardly into the wide mouths I6 of the variouschannelside air chambers I5.

The operation of the drier will be clear from the foregoing descriptionof the structure. Cross-circulation of air is set up by the fans 9,which builds up a pressure of air in the side chambers I5. rl'his airpressure passes from these chambers I5 as a multiplicity of spaced airjets distributed uniformly over each common side Wall II to impingeagainst relatively small adjacent areas of the frames 215, and theleather units carried thereby, as the frames are passed into and throughthe channels I4, I4, either intermittently or continuously, as a train.

As shown in Fig. 1, the various rails 2|, 2| in the channels I4, I4,respectively, arepconnected, by suitable monorail switches 21, 2'I tocross end rails 28, 28, which, in turn, are connected to a singleoutside rail 29, along which stripping, preparing, and reloading of theframes 25, 25 are effected.

I claim:

l. A tunnel drier for leather and like units, formed with a plurality oflongitudinally elongated vertical closed top channels in parallel sideby side relation and a plurality of open top coextensive air chambersintermediate and laterally adjacent said channels in alternatingrelation thereto and with a distributing chamber above said alternatingchambers and channels in constant direct communication with all of saidopen top chambers, said drier comprising perforated side Walls common toimmediately adjacent channels and chambers, top walls respectivelyclosing said channels against direct communication with saiddistributing chamber, said top Walls being connected to said perforatedside walls and therewith defining said channels and chambersrespectively, means for producing air pressure in said chambers toescape through the perforations in said common side Walls into saidchannels as a multiplicity of air jets directed in opposite directionstoward the central vertical planes of the respective channels, a seriesof ilat expansive unit-supporting frames adapted to pass through saidchannels from end to end thereof substantially coincident with thecentral planes of the respective channels in intersecting relation tosaid oppositely directed air jets, and a supporting rail for said framesextending longitudinally throughout the length of each channel.

2. A tunnel drier for leather and like units, formed with a plurality oflongitudinally elongated vertical closed top channels in parallel sideby side relation and a plurality of open top, coextensive air chambersintermediate and laterally adjacent said channels in alternatingrelation thereto and with a distributing chamber above said alternatingchambers and channels in constant direct communication with all of saidopen top chambers, said drier comprising perforated side walls common toimmediately adjacent channels and chambers, top Walls respectivelyclosing said channels against direct communication with saiddistributing chamber,

said top Walls being connected to said perforated side walls andtherewith defining said channels and chambers respectively, means forproducing air pressure in said chambers to escape through theperforations in said common side Walls into said channels as amultiplicity of air jets directed in opposite directions toward thecentral vertical planes of the respective channels, a series of fiatexpansive unit-supporting frames adapted to pass through said channelsfrom end to end thereof substantially coincident with the central planesof the respective channels in intersecting relation to said oppositelydirected air jets and a supporting rail for said frames extendinglongitudinally throughout the length of each channel, each of saidintermediate chambers serving a pair of channels respectively disposedat opposite sides thereof.

3. A tunnel drier for leather and like units, formed with a plurality oflongitudinally elongated vertical closed top channels in parallel sideby side relation and a plurality of open top, coextensive air chambersintermediate and laterally adjacentl said channels in alternatingrelation thereto and with a distributing chamber above said alternatingchambers and channels in constant direct communication with all of saidopen top chambers, said drier comprising perforated side walls common toimmediately adjacent channels and chambers, top walls respectivelyclosing said channels against directA communication With saiddistributing chamber,l

said top Walls being connected to said perforated side walls andtherewith dening said channelsv and chambers respectively, means forproducing air pressure in said chambers to escape through theperforations in said common side walls into said channels as amultiplicity of air jets directed in opposite directions toward thecentral vertical planes of the respective channels, a series of natexpansive unit-supporting frames adapted to pass through said channelsfrom end to end theerof substantially coincident with the central planesof the respective channels in intersecting relation to said oppositelydirected air jets, supporting rails for said frames in the tops of saidchannels respectively and extending completely through the respectivechannels and connected to a pair of transversely extending rails beyondthe opposite ends of the drier, and a rail connecting said transverserails and located outside the drier.

ALPHEUS O. HURXI'HAL.

